UC Santa Cruz's tuition & fees has increased from $38,169 (2015) to $46,923 (2025), and the rate of tuition increase is 22.93% over the past 10 years. The graduate school tuition & fees has raised from $28,410 (year 2015) to $30,512 (year 2025).
UC Santa Cruz's tuition increase rate is higher than the California's average increase rate of 14.58%. Compare to all colleges in United States, it's increase rate is higher than the average increase rate of 10.99%.
The total cost of attendance (COA), including tuition & fees, books & supplies costs, and living costs, increased by 26.05% from 2015 ($59,472).
For the current academic year 2024-2025, UC Santa Cruz's COA is $74,965, which is increased by 5.46% from last year.
The following table and chart show changes to UC Santa Cruz's COA over the past 10 years.
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus | Change by Year | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 2015-16 | $34,764 | $59,472 | $30,479 | $55,187 | - |
| 2016-17 | $35,408 | $62,090 | $31,277 | $57,959 | 4.40% |
| 2017-18 | $36,040 | $64,054 | $32,558 | $60,572 | 3.16% |
| 2018-19 | $36,217 | $65,209 | $32,908 | $61,900 | 1.80% |
| 2019-20 | $37,297 | $67,051 | $33,734 | $63,488 | 2.82% |
| 2020-21 | $39,137 | $68,891 | $35,242 | $64,996 | 2.74% |
| 2021-22 | $37,858 | $67,612 | $36,107 | $65,861 | -1.86% |
| 2022-23 | $38,712 | $68,784 | $36,740 | $66,812 | 1.73% |
| 2023-24 | $40,306 | $71,083 | $38,836 | $69,613 | 3.34% |
| 2024-25 | $43,077 | $74,965 | $43,625 | $75,513 | 5.46% |
The tuition & fees have increased 22.93% for the last 10 years , and the 2025 tuition & fees are $44,148. The following table and chart show the tuition & fees changes at University of California-Santa Cruz over last the 10 years.
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate | Change By Year | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 2015-16 | $13,461 | $38,169 | $13,308 | $28,410 | - |
| 2016-17 | $13,539 | $40,221 | $13,386 | $28,488 | 5.38% |
| 2017-18 | $14,020 | $42,034 | $13,837 | $28,939 | 4.51% |
| 2018-19 | $13,960 | $42,952 | $13,777 | $28,879 | 2.18% |
| 2019-20 | $13,991 | $43,745 | $13,808 | $28,910 | 1.85% |
| 2020-21 | $14,025 | $43,779 | $13,850 | $28,952 | 0.08% |
| 2021-22 | $14,070 | $43,824 | $13,895 | $28,997 | 0.10% |
| 2022-23 | $14,240 | $44,312 | $14,213 | $29,315 | 1.11% |
| 2023-24 | $14,560 | $45,337 | $14,855 | $29,957 | 2.31% |
| 2024-25 | $15,035 | $46,923 | $15,410 | $30,512 | 3.50% |
The cost of purchasing books & supplies which are required/recommended for courses $1,192, and it has decreased -17.68% from the year 2015 to 2025.
| Year | Books & Supplies | Change by Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,448 | - |
| 2016-17 | $1,470 | 1.52% |
| 2017-18 | $1,152 | -21.63% |
| 2018-19 | $1,089 | -5.47% |
| 2019-20 | $1,085 | -0.37% |
| 2020-21 | $1,162 | 7.10% |
| 2021-22 | $1,180 | 1.55% |
| 2022-23 | $1,204 | 2.03% |
| 2023-24 | $1,315 | 9.22% |
| 2024-25 | $1,192 | -9.35% |
The living costs including room, board, and other living expenses have increased 22.86% when a student lives on-campus facilities and 54.55% when living-off campus from the year 2015 to 2025. The following table shows the changes in living costs at University of California-Santa Cruz.
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus | Change by Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | $19,855 | $15,570 | - |
| 2016-17 | $20,399 | $16,268 | 2.74% |
| 2017-18 | $20,868 | $17,386 | 2.30% |
| 2018-19 | $21,168 | $17,859 | 1.44% |
| 2019-20 | $22,221 | $18,658 | 4.97% |
| 2020-21 | $23,950 | $20,055 | 7.78% |
| 2021-22 | $22,608 | $20,857 | -5.60% |
| 2022-23 | $23,268 | $21,296 | 2.92% |
| 2023-24 | $24,431 | $22,961 | 5.00% |
| 2024-25 | $26,850 | $27,398 | 9.90% |
The following table compares 2025 tuition and increase rate from last year between University of California-Santa Cruz and similar schools.
| 2025 | 2024 | Increase Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California-Santa Cruz | $46,923 ($15,035) | $45,337 ($14,560) | 3.50% |
| University of California-Los Angeles | $46,121 ($14,233) | $44,524 ($13,747) | 3.59% |
| University of California-Berkeley | $47,265 ($15,377) | $45,627 ($14,850) | 3.59% |
| University of California-San Diego | $47,676 ($15,788) | $46,042 ($15,265) | 3.55% |
| California State University-Fullerton | $20,070 ($7,470) | $18,953 ($7,073) | 5.89% |
| California State University-Long Beach | $19,974 ($7,374) | $18,888 ($7,008) | 5.75% |
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